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164 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



liberal supporters of the Westmeath Hounds. His 

 fame will survive some generations of sportsmen, and 

 his cheery humour and many good traits of character 

 have earned for him a widespread popularity which I 

 hope he will live long to enjoy. 



A successor could not be found, and again the 

 pack came to be managed by a committee, consisting 

 of a trio of good and popular sportsmen, Captain J. 

 R. Malone, Mr Ambrose More O'Ferrall, and Mr. 

 Richard Reynell, who had been secretary to the hunt 

 from the time Mr. Fetherston-Haugh Briscoe took 

 office; Mr. Joly was then appointed secretary. 

 Rose, from the Stafford Hounds, brought over as 

 huntsman, and Will Mathews, who came in 1872, con- 

 tinued as whip. Owing to the frequent changes of 

 masters, things had got out of order, and the com- 

 mittee had a good deal to do to set them right, but 

 fortunately success attended their efforts, and a fair 

 season's sport was the result. Two of the committee 

 resigned (Captain J. R. Malone and Mr. Ambrose 

 More O'Ferrall) after one season, and Sir Walter 

 Nugent and Lord Kilmaine joined Mr. Richard Rey- 

 nell in the management. The improvement com- 

 menced the previous year continued, and a most 

 successful season ensued ; nineteen brace of foxes were 

 killed, and hunting prospects brightened considerably 

 during the year. 



In 1876, fortunately for Westmeath hunting folk, 

 a popular young gentleman, Mr. Montague Chapman, 

 eldest son of Sir Benjamin Chapman of Killeed Castle, 

 one of the largest landed proprietors in the county, 

 got the title of M. W. F. H., and Mathews, a very 



